Free To Love and Trust (Boundaries) by Katy Swann Page B

carefully.
    “Enough!” he shouted, making her jump back in her seat. She bit back the tears blurring her vision and turned to stare blindly out of the window.
    They rode in silence until they were just a couple of minutes away from her flat. Finally, Adam turned back to her and cupped her chin in his hand. “I’m sorry for snapping at you,” he said, his voice warm again. “It’s not your fault.”
    She smiled, but didn’t say anything. She realized he wouldn’t be able to see the smile in the dark car and probably thought she was still upset, so when he pulled her into his arms, she reached up and kissed him on the lips.
    “Thank you for the present. It really is the most perfect present anyone has ever given me.” He stroked her cheek and she leaned gently into his hand until her head was practically resting in his palm. It felt safe and reassuring and she wished Rob hadn’t just pulled up outside her building. She didn’t want to leave Adam tonight, she needed to be with him, in his arms where she knew she belonged, but when he moved his hand again, she knew she’d be sleeping on her own tonight.
    He kissed her softly on the lips. “Goodnight. See you in the morning, and don’t be late.”
    She smiled. It amused her that he couldn’t help the hint of Dom creeping out from behind his words. She saluted him, before stepping out of the car. Rob was holding the door for her and she smiled her thanks before turning back to Adam. “No, Sir. Goodnight.”

Chapter Seven
    Rachel didn’t sleep well again that night. She went straight to bed with just a cursory greeting to Mandy, wanting to be alone with her thoughts.
    She burrowed under her duvet and closed her eyes, but her thoughts were spinning out of control, all tumbling together as if they were in an overheating dryer, and she opened them again in an attempt to calm the manic demons.
    Why was she feeling so unsettled? What was it that had changed the dynamic of the evening? The night had started so well with that incredible shower then meeting Chris and Josh and going into the private members’ bar, feeling a bit like a VIP. Even when Adam had been angry with her for storming off and removing the vibrator, things had been okay. There hadn’t been that undercurrent of tension and unease that had hung over the rest of the evening and was still eating away at her now.
    So when had the atmosphere changed? She ran the evening’s events through her mind again and suddenly she knew exactly when it had changed. It had been the moment Dominique’s name had been mentioned. Adam had been uptight and snappy for the rest of the night, and when she remembered his foul mood after the woman had left the office yesterday, she knew she was right.
    What was it Dominique had done to piss Adam off so much? What had Josh meant when he’d asked Adam if he’d ‘sorted her out’? And, if they were meant to be business partners, why had she kissed him yesterday as if they were on intimate terms? And , why wouldn’t Adam talk about her?
    Rachel’s unease was beginning to tighten its grip, feeling more like despair now. She liked Adam so much and was finally beginning to feel the first fledgling levels of trust, but how could she trust him when there was clearly something going on with this woman, especially as he flatly refused to talk to her about it?
    She eventually drifted off to sleep, only to be plagued by dreams of a latex-clad panther pulling Adam away from her with its teeth, before turning on her and attacking her with its razor sharp claws.
    * * * *
    When she woke in the morning, she felt groggy and grumpy and really didn’t want to go in and face Adam at work.
    She considered throwing a sickie, but knew Adam would see straight through her and she’d be in even more trouble. That was the problem with having a Dom as your boss. And anyway, if she didn’t go into work because she was meant to be ill, she could hardly go with him to the club tonight. Even with her